A Moment Like This
by Wadesbabygirl21
Summary: ::Short Story:: Some people wait their whole lives for a moment like this...*COMPLETE*


The perfect match for him.

There was no other way to describe her.

Well…beautiful seemed appropriate too.

            "Are you there?" Rachael Miller asked.

            "Huh?" Ephram said startled.

            "I was just making sure you were still with me." Rachael said.  "You looked like your head was somewhere else."

            "Oh, sorry.  I was just thinking." He replied.

            "Did it hurt?" she joked.

Ephram gave a short laugh.  "Always the comedian."

*Flashback*

            "Why won't you open?!" Rachael muttered at the locker as if it was going to respond.

She spun the lock again and was met with defeat.

            "Damn it!" she exclaimed kicking it with the bottom of her shoe.

A group of students turned and stared at her.

            "Take a picture it'll last longer." She said to them.

Behind her she heard someone laugh.  Rachael looked over her shoulder and saw a boy standing there.

            "Nice comeback." He said.

            "Thanks, I'll be here all week.  Unfortunately I'll be here a lot longer than that." She said with a sigh.

            "May I?" he asked gesturing toward her locker.

            "Be my guest." Rachael said stepping out of his way.

The boy leaned against the locker and suddenly it sprung open.

            "Amazing." She said.  

            "What can I say…I have many talents." He said.

            "Indeed.  Thanks a lot." She said unloading the contents of her backpack into the locker.  "Oh, I'm Rachael Miller by the way."

            "My name's Ephram.  Ephram Brown." He said.

*End of flashback*

Rachael closed the textbook in front of her and leaned back on the couch.

            "What were you thinking about?"

            "Nothing big." He said looking down at his hands.

            "I bet I could guess.  Umm…how much you miss New York?" she suggested.

            "Nah." He said.

            "Comic books?" she offered.

            "Not even close."

            "How much you hate Amy Abbott…oh wait…that's me."

*Flashback*

            "Hey." Rachael said sliding into the seat next to Ephram.

            "Hi, how's it going?" he asked.

She shrugged.  "I'm still alive."

            "I'm very impressed.  You've lived in Everwood for over a month and you've lived to tell about it." He joked.

            "One step at a time." She joked back.

            "Hi Ephram." Amy said sitting down at the desk in front of Rachael.

            "Hey." He replied.

            "Oh hi Rachael." She said.

            "Amy." Rachael replied back.

            "Alright kids.  We've got an exciting day ahead of us!" Mrs. Anderson said brightly walking into the classroom.

Ephram rolled his eyes.  Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Rachael doing the same thing.

            "I want you to break up in pairs and answer questions one through ten at the end of the chapter." Mrs. Anderson continued.

Rachael was about to ask Ephram if he wanted to work with her, but Amy was faster.

            "Ephram, why don't you do the first half and I'll do the rest?"

            "Umm…actually I'm pairing up with Rachael." He told her.

            "Oh.  Why would you want to do that?" she asked.

*End of flashback*

Ephram smiled.

            "No, I definitely wasn't thinking about her."

            "Then I'm stumped." She said throwing her arms up in defeat.

            "Jeehz…New York, comic books, and Amy Abbott…you must consider me a very deep thinker." He said.

            "Oh please.  You know you'd miss this daily torture if I wasn't here to dish it out." Rachael said.

            "You got me there.  What did I do before you moved here?" he asked.

            "You led a very boring, sad life." She replied.

*Flashback*

Later that day…

            "Want some company?" 

Rachael looked up from her book and saw Ephram standing in front of her.

            "It's a free country." She said moving her backpack off the bench.

            "Sorry about history class." He said sitting down.

            "Sorry about what?" she asked.

            "Amy."

            "You're sorry she's a bitch?"

Ephram let out a laugh.  "That's not exactly what I was going to say."

Rachael shrugged.  "Was it close?"

            "You're something else." He told her.

            "God, I really hate it here." She said.

            "I second that." He agreed.

             "Do you ever feel like you're just going through the motions here?  Like this is just a temporary stop until you can go back to your real life?" she asked.

Ephram didn't say anything.

            "Sorry, you don't have to answer that." Rachael said.

Before Ephram could say anything the bell rang.

*End Flashback*

Rachael glanced at the clock.  "It's getting late."

Ephram nodded in agreement.  "Yeah, besides I'm sick of studying the rise and fall of…what's the test about again?"

Rachael shrugged.  "Beats me."

            "I'll walk you home." Ephram said getting up and handing Rachael her jacket.

            "You don't have to." She said.  "It's like two blocks."

            "It's not a big deal."

            "Please, I'm tough.  I grew up on the streets of Chicago."

            "And I grew up on the streets of New York, we'll be a double threat."

            "Okay."

The pair walked out the front door.  The cool night hit their faces as they headed towards Rachael's house.  

            "This weather is putting Chicago to shame." Rachael said tightening her jacket around her.

            "I thought you were tough." Ephram said referring to her earlier comment.

            "Shut up." She said bumping his shoulder with hers.  "Walk faster."

They continued to walk in silence until they reached the front porch of Rachael's house.

            "See!  I told you I'd make it all the way without a problem." She said.

            "Well of course you did.  I was with you.  Everyone was too scared to try anything." He told her.

            "Oh, of course." She said with a smile.  "Anyway, thanks.  I'll see you tomorrow."

As she started to walk inside Ephram grabbed her arm.

She turned around and looked at him.

            "You okay there?"

He nodded.  "Yeah.  Actually this may be the first time I've had a clear thought in awhile."

            "Ephram, what's going on?" she asked.

            "Remember that day when you asked me if I was just going through the motions here.  Waiting to go back to my real life?" 

            "Yeah, I remember."

            "When I moved to Everwood I thought my life was over.  But then you came along and suddenly living here didn't seem so bad anymore.  You understand me and I understand you."

Rachael looked down at her feet and didn't say anything for a moment.

When she lifted her head up and found Ephram's face inches away from hers.

            "I feel the same way."

That was all he needed to hear.

Very slowly he leaned forward and kissed her.

It wasn't a very long kiss, but it was enough to set off fireworks in both their heads. Hearing nothing but the cold winter air blowing through the trees the pair stared into one another's eyes.

For the first time…in a long time…neither one of them felt alone.


End file.
